New Shelter Opens 

Summer of 2019

It was a day to remember! Kitsap Humane Society celebrated groundbreaking on its new $7.5 million animal shelter Tuesday, which will double the size of the existing shelter and vastly improve conditions for more than 7,000 animals annually.

More than 100 major donors, supporters, volunteers, staff and elected officials attended the event, which culminated in 15 honored guests putting on hard hats adorned with silly dog, cat and bunny ears for a fun, ceremonial shoveling of dirt.

See more photos here!

“Since our existing shelter was built 30 years ago, standards and best practices in the animal welfare field have changed dramatically, said Eric Stevens, Kitsap Humane Society’s executive director. “No longer is it acceptable in communities like ours to just operate a pound, with many animals being put down.

“Our animal loving community in Kitsap County wanted more, and then they, and all of you here today, got behind us in a big way.”

Guests at the event included Washington State Sen. Christine Rolfes and Rep. Sherry Appleton, who assisted with a $300,000 state grant for the project; Kitsap County Commissioners Ed Wolfe and Charlotte Garrido, who helped secure the land; and donors and supporters who’ve raised $5 million toward the $7.5 million capital campaign goal.

Fondly known as “the little shelter that could,” Kitsap Humane Society is a national leader in animal welfare with innovative programs and a lifesaving rate of 96 percent, among the highest in the nation! The annual intake of 7,000 pets is similar to much larger shelters with more resources, staff and space.

The project will be in two phases, beginning with the building of the new 9,000-square-foot Pet Adoption Center adjacent to the existing shelter, to be completed in summer of 2019. Phase 2 will involve an extensive renovation of the old building to improve medical and surgical facilities for sick and injured animals, as well as accommodate more than 6,000 spay/neuter surgeries annually, nearly half of which are provided at reduced cost for pets in low-income families.

With another $2.5 million to raise to complete the project, KHS staff are providing tours of the existing shelter for those interested in learning more about the project. Learn more about the project here.